CX/Gravel Tire Test: Silca Protocol RCG-1 50

There has been a lot of interest in Silca's new road and gravel bike tires since they were released last August. We've seen a lot of montly votes come in for these tires, and today's test of the 50 mm Protocol RCG-1 is already our 5th Silca tire test in just 2 months. We're expecting even more Silca tests in the next few months, as the first tests came in strong and the votes keep coming in.

Currently tested Silca tires:

• Protocol RCG-1 50 (this)
• Protocol RCG-1 45
• Protocol RCG-3 45
• Protocol RCR 29
• Protocol RCR 38

The Protocol RCG-1 is available in 45, 50, and 55 mm, which makes our test of the 50 mm size especially interesting, as the middle size should provide the most useful data and a sneak peek at the 55 mm size's performance. Luckily, we already have a range of other 48-50 mm gravel bike tires in our database, which helps us judge where Silca's fastest gravel bike tire sits among the others.

You can find our full test results and conclusion by scrolling down this page. Thanks for all the Pro support and votes!

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Silca
Model	Protocol RCG-1
Year	2026
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	Very High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	-
EAN	810093163298
TPI	120
Compound	Pulsar Compound
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	50-622
Specified Weight	510 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	50
Made In	Pro Data
Available Sizes	45-622 (700x45c) 50-622 (700x50c) 55-622 (700x55c)

Silca Protocol RCG-1 50 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	510 grams
Measured Weight	489 grams
Measured Width Casing	48 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	49 mm
Measured Height	Pro Data
Tire Circumference	Pro Data
Measured Knob Height Center	0.7 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.6 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	1.80 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall	Pro Data
All size measurements are taken at high air pressure on a 18 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results

Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube	None (30 ml sealant)
Measured Width	48 mm
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 66 psi/4.6 bar 33-35 = 60 psi/4.1 bar 36-38 = 54 psi/3.7 bar 39-42 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 43-46 = 46 psi/3.2 bar 47-50 = 42 psi/2.9 barHigh Air Pressure (42 psi / 2.9 bar)	Pro Data
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 55 psi/3.8 bar 33-35 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 36-38 = 45 psi/3.1 bar 39-42 = 42 psi/2.9 bar 43-46 = 38 psi/2.6 bar 47-50 = 35 psi/2.4 barMedium Air Pressure (35 psi / 2.4 bar)	Pro Data
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 44 psi/3.0 bar 33-35 = 40 psi/2.8 bar 36-38 = 36 psi/2.6 bar 39-42 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 43-46 = 31 psi/2.1 bar 47-50 = 28 psi/1.9 barLow Air Pressure (28 psi / 1.9 bar)	17.5 Watts CRR: 0.00525
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 33-35 = 30 psi/2.1 bar 36-38 = 27 psi/1.9 bar 39-42 = 25 psi/1.7 bar 43-46 = 23 psi/1.6 bar 47-50 = 21 psi/1.4 barExtra Low Air Pressure (21 psi / 1.4 bar)	Pro Data
The CX/Gravel section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width. All numbers are for a single tire at a speed of 29 km/h / 18 mph and a load of 42.5 kg / 94 lbs. Use the formula: RR (Watts) = CRR * speed (m/s) * load (N) to calculate rolling resistance at a given speed and load.

Puncture Resistance Test Results

Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better)
Total Puncture Score Tread	35 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Pro Data
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Pro Data
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Pro Data
Tread Total Tire Thickness	1.80 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Pro Data
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Pro Data
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness	Pro Data

Hard Surface Static Grip Test Results

Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average	73 Points
Wet Grip Center	Pro Data
Wet Grip Edge	Pro Data
Measured Knob Height Center	0.7 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.6 mm
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 CX/Gravel grip test rim width = 23.0 mm
Wet Grip Test and Off-Road Tires (info)

Conclusion

Our 50 mm sample of the Silca Protocol RCG-1 rolls a little slower (roughly 5%) in our tests than the 45 mm sample we tested just a couple of weeks earlier. Both of our samples are close to 20 grams lighter than the specified weight, which makes our results more accurate, as there's always a couple of percent difference between a light and a heavy sample.

In all of the other tests, both the 45 and 50 sizes come in spot on to each other, with the obvious exception of the weight, which is higher on the 50 mm size. We also note a slight bump for the 50 mm size in our wet grip edge test, which is in line with our other tests where we usually see larger sizes performing a bit better in the grip tests.

We rate the 50 mm Protocol RCG-1 5 out of 5 because it outperforms the 50 mm Schwalbe G-One RS, which we consider the benchmark tire in this segment.

Compare on our comparison section:

• Protocol RCG-1 50 and Protocol RCG-1 45
• Protocol RCG-1 50 and G-One RS 50
• Protocol RCG-1 50 and Gravel Thundero 48
• Protocol RCG-1 50 and Caracal Race 50
• Protocol RCG-1 50 and Pathfinder TLR 50

RATING: 5.0 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Highly Recommended

Comments